Masked
by fantasyDramaQuEEn44
Summary: Sequel to the story "Titanium". Titanium appears to be happy on her home planet but is Chrysos really the hero she thought? And will Blackheart stay quiet and leave her be?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Chrysos' POV

The crowds roared in joy as Chrysos stepped onto the stage, smiling broadly. Titanium stood hesitantly behind him watching with complete angst plastered in her nervous blue eyes. He could barely blame her but now was not the time to comfort her foolishness, he had two kingdoms to address.

"People of Polytima," his voice rang out and the crowds quietened, "and people of Ischyros. You were there to see me off when I left countless days ago to find our lost princess and now I have returned, victorious! The princess is safely with us once more!" again the crowds came to life as they cheered out.

"I give you; Princess Titanio!" Chrysos shouted over their roaring which increased significantly as he grabbed Titanium's wrist and yanked her onto the stage. Like a frightened animal, she looked at the thousands of followers which seemed to be overjoyed at her return. He kept a firm hold on her as he shushed the crowds; he did not want her running off and embarrassing him, "Our wedding has been set for a week from today. It will be an event to be remembered as two of the greatest kingdoms become joined!" The cheering had visibly decreased and Chrysos frowned inwardly, apparently the people were not as easy to persuade as Titanium was. Yes, she did not know the full story but what she was oblivious to could not harm her. All that mattered was that he had successfully charmed her into accepting his marriage proposal. Chrysos needed Titanium as his wife if he was going to earn the title of the most powerful king in history and the only thing that stood between him and his achievement was Ischyros, the one kingdom he was not able to conquer.

"Come, let me show you to your room," Chrysos purred into her ear as he led her off the platform, away from the people of her kingdom who were desperate for help. He would be damned if he let some peasant destroy his plans. Titanium stared breathlessly at the tall white walls of the passage they were walking through and Chrysos knew that the chances of her stumbling upon anything were relatively low. She did not know where to go in the palace and would easily get lost, not that he planned on letting her wander around. No, he had to keep her in one place until the wedding was over. What she discovered after the wedding was not a problem to him because he could easily have her annihilated.

"Here it is," Chrysos stopped in front of two tall oak doors and temporarily let go of her to open them. They swung open with ease and he led her into the well furnished room which served more as a house than a single bedroom. He had chosen a room set deep within the palace so if she happened to escape he would be able to catch her before she could reach the outside world. There were so many passages and tunnels in the heart of the palace that, if you did not know your way around, you would run in circles for hours on end, possibly never finding a way out.

"It's-," Titanium's voice broke into his train of thought and Chrysos concentrated on her once more.

"It is all you need, princess," he pulled her into the room which he had, not too long ago, had redone and refurnished. The floor was carpet in cotton candy pink and the walls were painted white. To the left was a sofa and two armchairs set on a plum rug with a cherry wood coffee table in the middle. To the right were rows and rows of cherry wood bookshelves, each filled with a countless variety of books. Further down the room, close to the end, stood a four-poster bed that was themed in a darker pink with gold swirl trimmings and fluffy white pillows. Also on the right, just across from the bed, was a single white door which led to the blue themed bathroom with the finest porcelain on all of Metallo.

"It's lovely," Titanium turned to him with sparkling eyes and he smirked inwardly; she was gullible to the point where it went from cute to ridiculous. Of course, who could blame her if she was being presented with a fairytale lifestyle?

"I only have once condition," Chrysos said in as sweet and seductive voice as he could, "you are to remain in this room until after the wedding. It is only mere tradition that we keep your beauty unexposed to the harsher elements of this planet." She seemed to buy into his story because she nodded enthusiastically.

'Foolish girl,' he thought as he planted a gently kiss on her head before slipping out the room and locking the door; he was not going to risk her curiosity getting the better of her. Chrysos slipped the key into his breast pocket and moved quickly down the passage; he had plans he needed to finalise. Even further into the heart of the palace was a hidden tunnel which led to his own private room where he finalised all his plans and kept his most secret schemes. No one but his most trusted advisor and the captain of his armies knew of this room and it was better kept that way; who knew where spies could turn up? Chrysos approached a painting of his great-grandfather, set within the residence wing which was forbidden to anyone but the king and the few people he deemed worthy.

'You would have been proud,' Chrysos thought as caressed the frame of the painting, finding a simple swirl which stood out just higher than the others. From just above the painting, a small metal ball shot off the wall and took a second to scan Chrysos before engulfing him in a bright white light. He was transported into a brightly lit passage which seemed to have no beginning only a single solid wall behind him. Hastily, Chrysos moved toward the end where the tunnel opened into a high-ceilinged room with maps, charts and sketches plastered all over the crème walls. Separating these were random bookshelves which contained volume after volume of battle strategy and history books. In the middle of the room was a large rectangular table with two chairs set on one side and a single chair opposite them. The captain of his army, a young red-head female, and his advisor, an ancient white-bearded male, were seated at the table waiting expectantly.

"Good, you are both here," Chrysos made his presence known as walked toward the single chair opposite the other two.

"You found her then?" the female asked disdainfully, disgust plastered on her face.

"Yes, I did," he replied shortly.

"Did she accept the offer?" the male enquired in a gentle, fading voice which showed traces of once being powerful.

"Of course she did," Chrysos smirked, "Ischyros will be ours in a week."

"What will happen to her then?" the female, Exousia, sat forward, a dangerous look in her eyes. Chrysos frowned at her, she would be a definite problem if she tried to take Titanium on. It was not that he doubted her strength, she had, after all, made it to the top of his armies, but if Titanium was injured or killed then his goal would once more be out of his reach.

"Perhaps I will keep her around," he replied in a calm yet deadly voice, his eyes darkening dangerously, "it depends how easily she is to manipulate." Distaste and anger replaced the look on her face as she sat back.

"Exousia, keep yourself in line," Sofos, the male, lectured and she shot him a deadly look, "it is for our king to decide what he wishes to do."

"That it is," Chrysos' smirk grew gradually. Once Ischyros was his and he was king of all, Titanium would be an interesting toy to keep around for a while but once he had lost all interest in her she would be just as easy to destroy.

Titanium's POV

Titanium turned once as she attempted to take in all the wonderful things that surrounded her. She had everything she could ever want; she was a princess with a beautiful room and she was marrying a handsome king.

"I'm finally home," she let out a sigh as she fell onto the soft, springy bed and giggled. It felt as though nothing could dampen her mood and she grinned at her carefree state. Life was beautiful. Magical. With overflowing energy, Titanium sprung up and bolted for the tall closet doors which stood between two of the towering bookcases. As she flung them open she caught her breath at the sight of all the flowing, beautiful dresses which cried out for her to wear them. There were at least five different colours for each style of dress and Titanium wondered if she would have enough time in her life to try all of them on. As she sauntered into the walk-in cupboard, the rows of dresses gave way for row upon row of shoes. From stilettos to boots and ballet shoes, Titanium was completely overwhelmed by the amount of clothing the wardrobe held. There was enough to clothe hundreds of females for more than a year. The pathway turned sharply to the left and she followed it curiously. The shelves and rows started to thin out until she came to another wall which had been turned into a massive display case that contained more diamonds and other precious jewels than she had ever created. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets and crowns twinkled at her from behind the glass and she wondered if all this was really hers.

"It's a wonderland," Titanium muttered breathlessly. With a grin plastered on her face, she headed back to the beginning of the closet and started to try countless combinations of different dresses and shoes. Each outfit fitted and complimented her perfectly and Titanium lost herself in the clothes until she came to a certain outfit. As she sprung in front of the mirror she was forced to pause; the flowing black dress and thigh-high boots reminded her of something. Or was it someone? The memory seemed to be just out of her reach as sadness gripped her heart. Whatever the outfit reminded her of was definitely sorrowful and she felt obliged to rip the clothing off; she wanted nothing to do with anything that was upsetting.

"Princess?" Chrysos' voice floated into the cupboard and immediately her mood was brightened again, "I see you found your new clothing." Titanium launched herself at the entrance, all thoughts of the memory and outfit gone from her mind.

"Yes, I did!" she skidded to a stop in front of him. Chrysos took her in and immediately frowned, something passing through his eyes. Titanium could feel her face flushing as her confidence evaporated; perhaps she did not look as good as she thought she did.

"Where did you get that?" he enquired, his expression neutral once more.

"In the cupboard," Titanium whispered as she dropped her eyes to the floor.

"I wonder how that got there," Chrysos murmured as he took a moment to figure out. Deciding to think about it later, he continued, "take that off. Black does not compliment you."

"I don't think I like it either," Titanium looked up with confusion present in her eyes, "it made me feel weird."

"Well then, all the more reason to dispose of it," he smiled warmly at her, "why don't you put something else on and give that dress to me?"

"Alright," she giggled as she traipsed into the cupboard once more. The decision of what to change into bewildered Titanium because the possibilities were almost endless. Eventually she decided on a pink dress with a floral pattern and a pair of white ballet flats. The black dress lay forlornly on the floor and Titanium hesitated, why did Chrysos want to get rid of the dress anyway? Even though it made her upset now it was still a nice dress and maybe, one day, she would be able to wear it. Making her mind up, Titanium slipped the dress into the place of the one she now had on and put the boots back on one of the back shelves.

"Much better," Chrysos' smile grew wider as he took in her new appearance, "where's that other offensive item?"

"I thought I'd keep it," Titanium replied honestly as she flopped down on her bed, "maybe, someday, I can wear it." She wondered if it was her imagination but it looked as though his smile had faltered slightly. In the blink of an eye, however, his smile was just as large as it had been before and she guessed she was merely seeing things.

"I highly doubt it, princess," Chrysos purred, "as I said before, black does not suit you."

"I like it though," Titanium said defiantly, oblivious to the dangerous undertone in his voice.

"Very well then," he replied through clenched teeth making Titanium look at him in shock and for her sake, he gave her a fake seductive smile, "My apologies. I just don't like the colour black." Completely blinded by his charm, Titanium bought into his story and gave him a toothy grin in return.

"What, my dear, do you think of a pre-wedding masquerade?" Chrysos purred as he stepped toward her.

"That would be wonderful," she muttered, her breath taken away by his hypnotizing green eyes.

"Very good," he placed a finger under her chin and planted a soft kiss on her lips. It surprisingly had little effect on her, barely sending a jolt of electricity through her body, yet still she felt completely ensnared by all of him that surrounded her.

"When will we have one?" Titanium could barely breathe as he slowly pulled away from her. She reached out for him, clinging to the dizziness he made her feel confusing it for a wondrous feeling.

"Tomorrow night," Titanium mistook his smirk for a smile. She was captured in a world of fantasy and fairytales and could not see the darkness which lurked behind the beautiful picture she had painted of the king. Chrysos slipped out of her reach once more and sauntered out of the room; Titanium was captured and it seemed like nothing would be able to wake her up in time.

Blackheart's POV

Around every corner he expected to see her and in some cases her memory haunted him to the point he where he had, once or twice, seen her in someone else. Already she was starting to fade from his mind and he hated every second that he forgot something about her.

'Like the day she disappeared,' Blackheart thought solemnly. The day she had gone home was still plastered freshly in his mind and he knew it would be the one thing he never forgot, that and the pain of losing her. Hell was a monotonous blur to him as Blackheart moved subconsciously through its depths. There was nothing for him to do anymore and each minute of his existence seemed to stretch by into unbearable hours and days. How much time had passed since she had said goodbye?

"I need a distraction," Blackheart muttered and promptly teleported up to earth hoping desperately to find something to do. He turned his back on the rising sun, a hateful sight and painful reminder of the last words she had said to him.

"Tomorrow can never be because yesterday is all that fills my mind," he slowly turned to face the sunrise again but instead saw the silhouette of something else before it. The floating contraption hovered over a clearing just lower than the cliff he was standing on. Out of curiosity he teleported into the trees just surrounding the clearing and watched two men hurrying about, trying to clear up random bits and bobs.

"It's time to go! We have enough information for the king!" one of them shouted at the other, obviously starting to get impatient.

"Should we bother him before the wedding?" the second male enquired as he packed up the last of the numerous items which had littered the grass.

"He told us to give it to him as soon as we had enough!" the first snapped before disappearing in an all too familiar bright light. The night Blackheart had gone to the scrap yard to find Titanium returned to him in a wispy replay of events ending off with the bright light which had carried her away. These people were from the same planet that she was now one and were probably about to return to it. Already an idea was formulating in Blackheart's mind and he decided that he needed to see her one more time. He would not force her to return with him but just wanted to have one last conversation with her, to say goodbye properly. With no idea what was in store for him, Blackheart teleported into the strange spacecraft as the male in the clearing disappeared. The inside looked somewhat like an airplane did with two rows of blue seats on either side and similar controls at the front.

"We're ready to go," someone said from the front and Blackheart ducked into the shadows, it was best for him to stay completely undetected until they reached their destination. Just after the pilot had spoken the same white light completely engulfed the spacecraft from the outside, pouring in through the windows, temporarily blinding Blackheart in the process. The light started to dim and change colour almost immediately after until it looked exactly like rays of sunshine which were penetrating the glass of the windows.

'That was fast,' Blackheart thought as he peered out. The vegetation outside looked almost exactly like that which you would have found earth with only one visible difference; the leaves were different shades of blue instead of green. Wasting no time, he teleported out of the spacecraft not caring to hide himself anymore. Who would notice his existence anyway? He followed one of the men directly into the heart of the town taking only a moment to admire the towering palace in the distance.

"Did you hear?" a group of females pressed passed him, whispering frantically to each other, "the king is having a pre-wedding masquerade in honour of the princess. I still cannot believe that he found her!" the last part caught Blackheart's attention. Could it be possible that Titanium was the princess they were speaking of?

"After that terrible law got thrown out, I'm glad he tracked her down. Where was she again?" one asked, glancing around nervously.

"Earth," another replied before hissing, "now hush!" Blackheart knew all the pieces fitted together; Titanium was the princess and she was marrying the man who had come to fetch her. A fresh stab of pain ricocheted through his body at the thought of her getting married. Blackheart knew it would have had to happen eventually but now that it was he felt like he had to stop it.

"Will you really keep her from being joyous?" he asked himself as he laid his eyes upon the palace once more, "Why do you want to stop her from marrying someone she might love?" Blackheart knew the answer but refused to voice it; it could and would never happen. For some reason, he got the feeling that there was more to it, another reason why he wanted to prevent the wedding. As a reassurance to himself and his overactive imagination, Blackheart decided to check on Titanium and assess the situation she was in. If she was content and wanted to stay he would return to earth without her ever knowing he had ever been there. The only thing that worried him was how he would get into the palace for long enough to efficiently survey the situation and environment.

"Well," a mask in a shop window caught Blackheart's eye and he smirked, "it seems that I am going to the masquerade."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Titanium's POV

The morning of the masquerade dawned early but Titanium decided to laze in bed for longer than she was used to. There was no one to rush her and she did seem to have all the time in the world to simply pick a dress, a pair of shoes, some jewellery and a mask for the night ahead. Pictures of blurred, masked figures dancing before her in a bright array of colours made Titanium giggle, tonight would be exciting in the context that she had never been to such a party before. As a matter of fact, she had never been to any party on earth before never mind one on her home planet.

"I wonder how it will be?" she sighed and tried, unsuccessfully to imagine what lay in store for her. Titanium decided that she felt too energetic to laze in bed and would rather go through the countless amounts of clothing in the cupboard until she found the perfect outfit. She spun in joy toward the cupboard but came to an abrupt halt when she noticed the red-headed woman standing by the door.

"Well aren't you a ray of sunshine?" she commented, taking another step into the room.

"Who are you?" Titanium enquired, narrowing her eyes. She could sense the hostility which was literally seeping off the female.

"Exousia," she replied, "captain of Chrysos' army." Titanium could not help but feel intimidated as Exousia modelled in front of her with numerous weapons attached to her body.

"What do you want?" Titanium pressed her back against the wall, eyeing the woman out. She had no idea what Exousia was capable of and did not want to, in any way, find out.

"I just came to warn you,"

"Of what?" she demanded.

"The little fairytale you've gotten yourself into isn't real. Chrysos cares nothing for you or your abilities, all he cares about is your status. Once he's in control of Ischyros, he'll dispose of you like he did all his other wives," Exousia smirked, hatred flashing across her face as Titanium's eyes widened in absolute shock. Why was this woman being so horrible toward her when she had never even met her before. What had she done to upset Exousia so much?

"You're lying," Titanium snapped, "why would he have gone all the way to find me if he didn't care?"

"You're the only thing standing between him and conquering Ischyros," Exousia replied venomously, a sly smile working its way onto her face, "of course he'll go out of his way to claim the final free kingdom on the planet."

"Get out of my room," Titanium commanded bitterly, she would not stand for the lies being thrown at her. Chrysos would definitely hear of this woman's audacity.

"If you don't believe me, answer this question; why does he lock you in your room?" Exousia enquired calmly, not budging even an inch.

"To keep horrible people like you away from me!" Titanium exclaimed wishing desperately that someone would interrupt their unpleasant conversation. She had no idea where Exousia had gotten her story from or what her problem was but she wanted badly to escape from the accusations.

"Oh really? Then why does he keep the key on the other side? Surely if he wanted to keep me out he would have taken the key with him?" Exousia pointed out, dangling the key in front of her. Before Titanium could think of replying, Chrysos entered the room and paused as he took in the situation before him.

"What is going on here? Exousia?" his voice was low and dangerous as he set darkened eyes on her. Titanium scurried over to him and he immediately put a protective arm across her shoulders convincing her that everything would be better.

"She's been telling me the most horrifying things, Chrysos," she did not want to sound sulky but could barely help it. The things Exousia had told her had her very close to tears. Titanium continued, "She told me that you didn't care about me, that you were only using me to conquer my kingdom." The tears must have been evident in her voice because Chrysos hugged her tighter, whispering words of comfort into her ear.

"It's the truth," Exousia quickly interrupted the tender moment, clearly disgusted by the display of affection between the two.

"Get out of here," Chrysos hissed as he moved away from Titanium and snatched the key from Exousia's hand. He said something more to her and the sly smile returned to her face making Titanium feel even more uncomfortable. With a final dirty look in her direction, Exousia exited the room and slammed the door behind her.

"Princess," he turned to face her, a sweet smile plastered on his face, "listen to nothing that Exousia tells you. She is an impulsive liar and jealous of you too." A warning bell rang somewhere in Titanium's mind but the sound was drowned out by his musical voice as his eyes entranced her.

"Some ladies will come to your room later to help you prepare for the masquerade. Do you have any idea what colour you plan to wear?" Chrysos played with her hair, sending shivers down Titanium spine.

"No," she started but broke off when her voice vanished, his hand were starting to roam into inappropriate places, "I was about to when Exousia came."

"I shan't keep you then," suddenly he was gone and it felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over Titanium, the trance broken. Chrysos closed the door behind him sending a sense of finality into the room. She staggered back onto the bed and wondered if it had really happened or if it had been a mere illusion created by her mind. Titanium did not know if she liked what he had done, feeling violated and exposed though no one but them had been present. Did he have any right to do such a thing before they were even married?

"Don't be silly," Titanium snapped at her own foolishness, trying desperately to shake off the feeling of discomfort that wrapped around her feverish body. As a distraction, she headed for the cupboard and started to rummage through the clothing but her mind was insistent on thinking about it. She cried out in utter frustration and hurled a pair of shoes at the back wall, cracking the glass of the display case. Titanium stared at the destruction she had caused, shocked by the extent of her physical strength. She gulped and moved away from it. What would Chrysos say when he saw what she had done?

"Oh dear," Titanium murmured as she broke out in a sweat. Would he be angry at her?

"Maybe I could make up a story," she babbled quickly to herself, "like, me falling or - or -." Tears threatened to spill from her eyes at the mere thought that Chrysos would dispose of her when he found out that she had destroyed something of his. How could she fix it though? Titanium was still frantically looking for something when the sparkling diamond on her ring finger caught her attention.

"Of course!" she gasped in excitement, hurtling back to the display case. With a devious grin, Titanium started hurling random shoes at the glass and watched it shatter. The pieces fell to the floor in a colourful shower giving it a glossy appeal but she took no time to admire it as she quickly swept it up with her hands, being careful not to cut herself. When the glass was successfully disposed of in an old shoe box, Titanium reached out for the display case stopping where the cover had once been and imagined, in its place, a layer of crystal clear diamond. She stepped back to admire her handy work and wondered why she had never thought of starting an interesting hobby which included her control of diamond.

"I should mention it to Chrysos," Titanium giggled as she turned, with renewed excitement, to the clothing in her cupboard. As she browsed through the selection before her she had to admit that being naughty definitely felt good, something she definitely would not tell her future husband. For almost three hours she went through about a thousand dresses only selecting a few that she thought fit the criteria for the upcoming masquerade. However, even when Titanium had gone through her entire wardrobe, she was not satisfied with the twenty dresses scattered on the floor around her. None of them were perfect.

"Perhaps the right pair of shoes and a little jewellery will make it perfect?" Titanium scratched her chin thoughtfully but doubted it. Her eyes wandered back to the closet and she frowned; the right dress had to be in there and she would not stop until she found it, refusing to settle for any less. With determination pumping through her veins, Titanium started working through the closet again, this time paying special attention to each individual item. Just as time started to run short and her hopes began to dry up she accidentally stumbled upon yet another clothing rack, this one containing only a single dress. Titanium approached the dress with curiosity which, as she took it in, turned slowly to awe. This was the dress. Her mouth was dry as she stripped herself and carefully put it on, afraid that it would not fit or that something disastrous would happen to it.

"Oh," Titanium's eyes stretched in wonder and temporarily she forgot to breathe; it was the most beautiful dress she had seen in this closet. How had she not seen it before? Strapless, the bodice of the dress was simple, made of loose-fitting black satin. Over the bodice was a crimson corset, trimmed with golden, that tied in the front. The skirt hung loosely around her legs, made of the same black satin with a layer of crimson velvet that hung neatly over it, cut out in the front so the underlying material could still be seen. Titanium twirled in the full-length mirror and watched the skirt dance around her, revealing that it was wider than it appeared to be.

"Madam?" an unknown voice called out to her and she decided to investigate, popping her head around the cupboard door. Three elderly women were standing at the door looking at the dresses strewn across the room in utter distaste.

"Yes?" Titanium stepped out of the closet fully, flushing as she realized what a mess she had actually made, "Pardon the mess, I was having difficulty finding the right one."

"You succeeded?" three pairs of eyes were now staring at her and she nodded, motioning to the dress she currently had on, "A wonderful decision, madam."

"Um," Titanium broke eye-contact as she instead concentrated on a blue and silver gown crumpled on the floor before her, "who are you?"

"The king sent us to assist you," the second woman replied in a gentler voice, "we have barely two hours left so I suggest we get started." Titanium started to bend but they showed for her to stop.

"We will clean this up when the masquerade has begun," the first woman said with a soft smile, "for now, our greatest priority is to get you ready." Titanium was ushered to a chair and sat down while they bustled around her. One of them started to comb her hair until it glowed in the setting sun before she pulled it in all directions, attempting to style the unruly ringlets. The second one started to gently apply make-up, starting with base before moving to blush, eyeliner, royal blue eye-shadow, mascara and finally rose red lipstick. The last woman started by giving Titanium a quick manicure and pedicure before applying crimson nail polish to both her fingernails and toenails. When she was done, she hurried into the cupboard and produced a pair of elbow length lace gloves which she slung over the armrest of the sofa. In her other arm she had numerous pairs of stilettos, ranging from different shades of red to black, bedazzled to plain and strappy to completely closed. Testing first to see if the nail polish was dry, she started to try one shoe on after the other before settling on a pair of strappy black stilettos that had a single row of tiny rubies running up the middle strap.

"Get the jewellery," the first woman demanded as she continued to apply the other shoe, tying them both, "is that too tight, madam?"

"No, that's perfect thanks," Titanium smiled down at the shoes, she would probably have chosen them herself if she had been able to. The other two women appeared before her carrying numerous sets of jewellery, holding them out one at a time for her to choose. Titanium decided on a chunky platinum gold necklace studded with large black diamonds, matching earrings and a similar bracelet which had rubies instead. As the same two women quickly attached the pieces of jewellery, the last one gently pulled the gloves onto Titanium's arms before clasping the bracelet into place on her right wrist. They then proceeded to step back as Titanium got up, admiring the work they had successfully completed in two hours.

"The only thing missing is your mask," one of them purred as she produced a mahogany jewellery box which she held out before her.

"I first want to see what I look like," Titanium stated softly as she moved with surprising ease toward the cupboard, the killer heels feeling almost completely natural to her. She allowed her eyes to scan her reflection in the mirror and she felt something stir in the back of her mind; what seemed to be so familiar to her? Ignoring it, Titanium rather examined her hairstyle, turning slightly so she could see some of it from behind. Her hair had been tied and plaited before being pulled into a neat, tight bun set high on the crown of her head. Her fringe hung loosely on either side of her head, framing her face and, though it was extremely simple, Titanium decided that she liked the way her hair had been done.

"Madam?" one of the woman appeared by her side with the jewellery box settled in her hands. When Titanium nodded, she opened the jewellery box and extracted the mask, handing the empty container to one of the others who had also materialised in the closet. The mask, which covered only up to her nose, was also crimson with black lace trimmings around the entire outer edge and also the eyes. In the middle of a single black lace flower, situated at the both ends of the mask, was a single ruby. Protruding from behind each of the flowers were two drooping black feathers. Carefully, the woman tied the mask securely to Titanium's face using the attached black ribbons before stepping back to allow everyone to admire her appearance.

'Let's find out what surprises await me,' Titanium thought as she turned away from the mirror. Finally, she was ready to attend her first masquerade and it would definitely be one she never forgot.

One of the woman had escorted Titanium carefully through the passage within the palace and they had now, after endless minutes of walking, come to a halt behind two large wooden doors. She could hear music being played from the other side and she knew she was probably late; the party had already started.

"Don't worry," the woman smiled reassuringly at her, "we're right on time for your grand entrance." Titanium gulped uncertainly, her mouth suddenly feeling excessively dry. Chrysos had said nothing to her of making any sort of special entrance. She was about to say something in return but the music suddenly quietened down, the woman by her side shushing her.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Chrysos' voice, though muffled from behind the door, was probably echoing clearly through the ballroom, "myself and the lovely Princess Titanio welcome you to our pre-wedding masquerade. We do hope you enjoy this evening as we celebrate the coming together of two great kingdoms. Now, you might ask if the princess is present between us, disguised behind one of these brilliant masks. She is not but that will now change as I present to you, our found Princess Titanio!" The doors before her were suddenly opened and she was bathed in light, temporarily blinded and stunned. Someone gave her a gentle push from behind and she started to walk down the marble stairs trying desperately to appear regal and graceful. Her eyes became accustomed to the light and she briefly glanced over the crowds; she had not expected to see so many people attend. Titanium knew all the eyes were trained on her as she stepped off the stairs, the crowds making a path for her which led directly to Chrysos. She managed to walk the entire way without tripping or falling and once she had positioned herself next to him, the crowds started to applaud.

"Well done, princess," Chrysos whispered to her as he pulled her a little nearer, slipping his arm around her waist.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Titanium asked softly as the music began once more and couples took to the dance floor.

"About the entrance?" his eyes were sparkling behind his own royal blue and silver mask, "I did not want you to fret. Stressing does nothing for your complexion." He turned to face her fully and took both her hands in his own. Chrysos merely stared at her for a long moment before he led her onto the dance floor, pulling her tightly against his body.

"You look so sexy tonight," he growled into her ear and Titanium blushed at the idea that she had caught his attention so efficiently. What she did not know was that she had also caught someone else's attention.

Blackheart's POV

Entering the palace had been fairly easy, Blackheart merely having to teleport into the ballroom when it was filled with enough guests for him to arrive completely unnoticed. The only problem facing him now was tracking Titanium down, a difficult task due to all the masked female figures parading around him in ridiculously puffy dresses. Though a few blonds had caught his attention so far, none of them had turned out to be anything like her from closer up.

'Was I mistaken?' Blackheart thought as he passed yet another blond which resembled Titanium in no way, 'Have I followed false information?' thinking back, he felt like hitting himself for being so gullible. There was of course a possibility that the gossiping women could have had the wrong end of the story, Titanium might not even be close to where he was at the moment. Blackheart decided to hang around for a little while longer hoping that she had maybe not arrived at the party yet. If he had followed incorrect information then he might as well just give up looking for her, it was a wild goose chase on a planet that was similar in size to earth.

"Maybe I'm not supposed to find her," Blackheart mumbled to himself as he faded into the shadows of one of the few dark corners, "I had my chance and I lost it." He still could not believe that Titanium had slipped through his fingers before he had even had a chance. It all boiled down to his own blindness and utter stupidity, the signs had always been present but he had never once thought of looking for them.

"Why would I have?" Blackheart asked no one in particular, "All that mattered to me was defeating my father, taking over his realm and creating hell on earth." Those ideals seemed foolish to him now and Blackheart wished he had only seen the true value right in front of him. A pang of guilt enveloped him as he remembered the night of his graduation, the same night he had taken advantage of her for his own benefit. Now that memory was all Blackheart had to cling to, the only moment he had actually seen her as more than just a rival.

"How I wish I'd never done that," out of frustration he ran his fingers through his hair, allowing his eyes to scan the crowd as a distraction. In the past fifteen minutes, no new people had come in through the front doors and Blackheart guessed that no more guests were due to arrive. Obviously Titanium would not be present and the only thing he had left to do was go home; another of his missions had been a total failure. As he was about to disappear a specific male caught his attention and he paused, deciding to investigate. As Blackheart came closer he recognised the male to be the same one that had been present the night Titanium had gone home.

"Sire! Welcome!" another masked male approached him, briefly shaking his hand, "Where is the lovely princess?" music had started playing as numerous people in the crowd acknowledged the king's presence among them.

"She will be joining us shortly," his voice confirmed who he was to Blackheart making him think that perhaps the information had not been as false as he thought, "for now just enjoy the party." The masked individual nodded enthusiastically before disappearing into the ocean of people which filled the ballroom.

'I'll wait for the princess to come,' Blackheart decided as he shrunk into the shadows once more, a place where he could efficiently keep an eye on the progression of events. The minutes seemed to drag by but still no one else arrived, the king conversing with random people in the room completely unconcerned by the absence of the mysterious princess. He had just returned to the platform when one of the many guards present muttered something into his ear causing him to quickly glance at the oversized clock set above the entrance. It was literally a few seconds before eight o'clock. The king positioned himself in the centre of the stage and waited for the clock to finish chiming eight times before he started to address the crowds. Blackheart paid little attention to what he was saying as he tried to decipher the feeling of anticipation which had clouded the air like a storm.

"-She is not but that will now change as I present to you, our found Princess Titanio!" the king's final sentence caught Blackheart's attention as the double doors on the far end of the ballroom were opened by two guards. The female, a mere silhouette, failed to move into the light as silence fell in the room like a heavy blanket. With a sudden jolt she moved forward, bathing herself in light as everyone stared in complete awe. It was her. Blackheart had found Titanium. She moved fluidly down the stairs, something she had always been able to accomplish no matter how fast or slow she walked. Her presence brought the room to life as the light made her sparkle like a gem on her own; her every movement demanded attention from everyone. Blackheart could tell her face was passive behind the mask and he admired her ability to hold a poker face as everyone watched each step she took, waiting for something unexpected to happen. With grace that would shame any swan or ballet dancer, Titanium stepped onto the stage and took her place next to the king who whispered something, pulling her closer. Music shattered the magic of the moment in a rapid anti-climax and the crowds, desperate to redeem their pride, went on with their business on the dance floor.

'Now that I've found you I must just find a way to speak to you,' Blackheart thought as he watched the king pull her into the crowd for a dance. A plan was already forming in his mind, one that definitely appealed to him as he considered it; she would not be able to decline a dance invitation. He only had to wait for the opportune moment to snatch her away from the king who, to his utmost disgust, seemed to be ravishing her with his eyes. Something about the king seemed off to Blackheart as he watched them for most of the night and he did not know if it was merely his jealousy playing up; Titanium appeared to be happy.

'We'll see,' he thought as he prepared to swoop in for the kill, his prey directly in sight.

Titanium and Blackheart's POV

Titanium was just able to pry herself away from Chrysos, who had been clinging to her for most of the night, when another masked male approached her with a dance invitation. She was about to politely decline when something about him caught her attention. Titanium got the feeling that she knew him from somewhere but had no idea from where, she knew no other men on this planet but Chrysos. Out of complete curiosity, she accepted the invitation and allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor.

_Everybody's got something_

_They had to leave behind_

_One regret from yesterday_

_That just seems to grow with time_

The slow beat of the song surrounded them as Blackheart pulled her into position, thanking his lucky stars that he knew anything about ballroom dancing. Titanium's eyes were sparkling behind the mask, a mysterious smile plastered on her full lips. The mere sight made him wish he had never let her go, that he had forced her to listen before she had left.

_There's no use lookin' back or wonderin'_

_How it could be now or might have been_

_All this I know but still I can't find ways_

_To let you go._

Blackheart knew there was no point in lingering any further after the dance; what was in the past could only remain there. Titanium was no longer available and he had to accept the idea even if it was the most painful thing he had ever done. He would, however, remember this moment for the rest of his life; the last time he had been able to hold her and pretend she was his. Blackheart wondered how he would ever find the strength to give her up and never come back; how would he carry on? Going back to world domination was out of the question; he no longer had a passion for it and he doubted it would efficiently distract him. Leaving the thoughts behind, Blackheart instead concentrated on enjoying the last dance he would ever experience with the one person who had unknowingly taught him to love.

_I never had a dream come true_

_Till the day that I found you_

_Even though I pretend that I moved on_

_You'll always be my baby_

_I never found the words to say_

_You're the one I think about each day_

_And I know no matter where life takes me to_

_A part of me will always be with you._

The world around Titanium seemed to be evaporating into nothingness as she stared into the eyes of the masked man she was dancing with. They seemed so familiar yet also so different, laced with unidentifiable emotions, and once more she wondered where she had met him before. Smoky, distorted images danced in her mind but she could not comprehend what story they were telling, they were just too far and unclear for her to see.

_Somewhere in my memory_

_I've lost all sense of time_

_And tomorrow can never be_

'_Cause yesterday is all that fills my mind_

The music drowned out all other noises around them as Blackheart and Titanium, entranced by one another, floated across the dance floor. For the moment nothing but the dance mattered as each battled with the individual emotions they were feeling. They were unaware that the evident chemistry between them was drawing attention from the crowds. The king merely glared at the dancing pair but failed to do anything, deciding that he would take Titanium to task later.

_There's no use lookin' back or wonderin'_

_How it could be now or might have been_

_All this I know but still I can't find ways_

_To let you go._

_I never had a dream come true_

_Till the day that I found you_

_Even though I pretend that I moved on_

_You'll always be my baby_

_I never found the words to say_

_You're the one I think about each day_

_And I know no matter where life takes me to_

_A part of me will always be..._

"Who are you?" Titanium broke the silence between them, not being able to hide her curiosity anymore. The male failed to reply and she frowned; what secret was he hiding?

"Answer me," she demanded, her body stiffening slightly at the prospect of her being in trouble. Blackheart knew he would have to say something or she would slip through his fingers once more but how could he reveal his identity to her in such a packed room? He noticed that, though she seemed angry, her eyes were not as hard and cold as he was used to them becoming. Titanium actually looked more afraid than anything else and he knew that, in all the time he had known her, she hardly ever showed signs of fear. That was when he noticed that her aura had changed into something that was sickly sweet. His eyes flitted briefly to the king, suspicion clouding his mind.

'What did you do to her?' Blackheart thought, enraged by the idea. His anger was dampened when he realised that he was probably just looking for reasons to convince himself to take her back to earth. He brought his eyes back to hers knowing he had no other choice but to speak and hope she would not completely freak out.

"Please, don't hurt me," Titanium's voice was pleading and Blackheart was shocked to see the tears brimming in her eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Titanium," he replied, disbelieving that she thought he would intentionally harm her.

_You'll always be the dream that fills my head_

_Yes you will, say, "You will"_

_You know you will, oh baby_

_You'll always be the one I know I'll never forget_

"How do you know my name?" she finally spoke after a long moment of silence, his voice had stirred something deep within her. Where had she heard it before? Titanium guessed he had something to do with the memories which seemed to allude her for some reason; maybe he was in some way connected to her past on earth?

"It's me, Blackheart," he whispered back and she felt her heart jolt; she knew that name. The pictures became more insistent as a wave of nausea and emotions sucker punched her in the gut. Suddenly the night no longer felt magical and entrancing; all Titanium wanted to do was leave to somewhere quiet so she could think.

"I don't know you," Titanium said back breathlessly as the world around her swayed dangerously. A feeling of utter sickness and claustrophobia overwhelmed her as she forced her eyes to meet his once more. The look of confusion and pain which laced the blue depths made her mind tip even further into frustration. Why couldn't she remember? Titanium felt as though she was forgetting something important but why?

_There's no use lookin' back or wonderin'_

_Because love is a strange and funny thing_

_No matter how I try and try, I just can't say goodbye_

_No, no, no, no_

Her words had been like a slap in the face but through the pain Blackheart decided that something definitely was not right with Titanium. How could she have forgotten so quickly? He temporarily shoved the thoughts from his mind as she swayed, leaning all her weight onto him.

"What are you doing to me? What do you want from me?" Titanium's whispers just reached his ears as she closed her eyes, through the make-up he could see she had become pale.

"I came to check on you, to see if you're OK," Blackheart replied hurriedly, worry closing in around his chest, "I wanted to say goodbye properly."

"Check on me? Say goodbye?" confusion clouded her mind, when had she ever said goodbye to anyone? Time seemed to have come to a halt and all Titanium could hear was the sound of her breathing and the beating of a heart from far off. Was it his? From her position against his chest, she found some comfort from the raging storm which was engulfing her, making her feel sick beyond compare. Why did it feel as though she had done something similar before? Who was this man?

_I never had a dream come true_

_Till the day that I found you_

_Even though I pretend that I moved on_

_You'll always be my baby_

Blackheart carefully watched her, was it his imagination or did she look peaceful? For a moment he allowed his mind to analyse the situation around him; this supposed rescuer and king had done something to Titanium which had made her forget her time on earth. Why?

'Perhaps he wanted her to think she knew nothing better than this,' Blackheart took in the fancy ballroom around him, 'but why would he be so insistent on her return?' his eyes found the king again. What could he possibly be planning that required Titanium's presence on the planet? Was it something so sinister that he needed to keep her blinded to it? Entrapped in a world of fantasy with no account of her life before?

_I never found the words to say_

_You're the one I think about each day_

_And I know no matter where life takes me to_

_A part of me will always be_

_A part of me will always be with you…_

"I need to leave now," Titanium suddenly pulled away from him, Blackheart returning his attention to her, "I'm sorry but I really don't feel well." Forgetting to curtsy like all the other woman, she hurriedly moved up the stairs and exited the room. With narrowed eyes and anger in his veins, Blackheart ripped the mask from his face and incinerated it as he teleported after her. There was no way in hell that he was going to let her be used for some other man's schemes; it was something that not even he would do. It was time to find out exactly what was going and he refused to leave until he knew every detail.

Titanium ran down a passage in the palace with only a brief idea of where she was and how to get back to her room. A flash of lightning illuminated her distraught face and through the tall windows on both sides of the passage she saw the raging storm outside. She had to admit that it was a fitting way to end such a confused and messed up night, perfectly displaying the battle of emotions deep within her. Titanium hoped that Chrysos would not notice her absence until she had composed herself; there was no way she could allow him to see her in such a state. It was not something a princess did, they were supposed to be calm and peaceful, gracing the room with their presence.

'Not running from some stranger who claims to know me,' Titanium thought, knowing deep inside that he could not have just been 'some stranger'. There was something about him that made her wonder why she could not remember him even though she was sure she should. The familiar double doors to her bedroom loomed before Titanium and she hurtled toward it, opening them with such ferocity that they slammed against the wall and bounced back.

"Back," Titanium let out the breath she had subconsciously been holding as she closed the doors behind her. While closing her eyes in relief she pressed her back against the cool wood glad that she was finally safely away from all the chaos and commotion. It was then that she sensed the male's presence in the room and she immediately stiffened; how had he gotten there before her? A flash of lightning illuminated the room and Titanium briefly spotted him, hidden in the shadows of the corner to the far right.

"What are you doing here?" she gripped the door handles, ready to burst out of the room if necessary.

"I've come to find out what's wrong with you," Blackheart stepped out of the shadows, now unmasked. Titanium looked at him with wide, frightened eyes, trying desperately to figure out what his true purpose was.

"There's nothing wrong with me," she replied softly, her voice failing her.

"Yes there is," Blackheart was now walking slowly toward her, determination set in his eyes, "the Titanium I know does not forget, she does not let people shunt her around and she definitely does not show fear."

"Well then you must have me mistaken with someone else," she squeaked in return as she attempted to open the door but found that his icy eyes had her frozen, completely at his mercy.

"No, I don't," Blackheart stopped right in front of her, his eyes visibly softening as he took in her fear. Usually he would have fed off it but now he hated the mere smell of it; why was she scared of him? Blackheart reached out and put a single hand on her cheek and she flinched as if expecting him to strike out. He dropped his arm and whispered, "You never used to be afraid of me, you were one of the only people who could almost put me into place. Your sword fighting abilities were something I always admired about you."

"Fighting? No, you see you do have me mistaken for someone else! I've never fought with a sword before! I absolutely hate violence!" Titanium shot passed him, needing to breathe, to think.

"You hate violence? That's a joke! You were queen of violence on earth!" Blackheart laughed sarcastically and she swung to face him with tears of desperation pouring from her pained eyes.

"I do not know you and am not the person you claim to have fought before! Now leave me alone! Please!" Titanium was close to an emotional break-down as she screamed the words, stripping the expression from his face. Sobbing quietly, she turned to look at her distraught reflection in the full-length mirror. Her once neatly styled hair had sprung loose from its binds, falling in ringlets around her head and her original appearance seemed to have lost all the magic it had once held.

"Is this really who you are?" Blackheart suddenly appeared next to her and she glanced briefly at his reflection before looking at herself once more. A gust of wind forced the windows open causing utter chaos as items were hurled around. A bolt of lightning struck the courtyard just outside her room and as it brightened her surroundings, in the midst of the commotion; Titanium saw a woman that looked identical to her replace her reflection. She wore the same black dress and boots that Titanium had discovered the previous day and clenched tightly in her hands were two lethal looking diamond swords. The woman's eyes were the same shade of blue as hers but they were colder and more dangerous, a smirk playing on her red lips.

"Oh my gosh," Titanium stumbled back as the air was punched from her lungs and the colour drained from her face. She grabbed the bedpost for support but as quickly as the woman had appeared she was gone again, the chaos coming to an abrupt end. In the blink of an eye everything had returned to normal but the image was stuck in Titanium's mind. That must have been the woman Blackheart had known but that was not her; or was it?

"Please leave me," she uttered, slowly letting go once she was sure that her legs were steady enough to carry her.

"Not until you see the truth," Blackheart was suddenly looking at her jewellery and Titanium gripped her necklace protectively. Her heart was hammering wildly in her chest and she needed desperately to be alone so she could think clearly. There had to be a logical explanation to everything that had happened. Perhaps she was just dreaming? Titanium pinched her arm and yelped out; hysteria closing in quickly as she realized that she was definitely still awake.

"Why is this happening? Why is my fairytale falling apart?" Titanium sobbed, feeling utterly miserable.

"Because it isn't real! You're here under false pretences!" Blackheart grabbed her shoulders and she cried out, trying to pull away but he held on firmly intent on getting some sense into her, "You have got to listen to me, Titanium!"

"No!" she screamed and shook her head vigorously as she continued to fight him, slamming her fists into his chest and wriggling in an attempt to break free. Out of complete frustration, Blackheart kissed her. Titanium became still almost immediately as her body became taught but as the shock wore off she relaxed, the kiss sending jolts of electricity to every inch of her body and seemingly turned her blood to magma. Everything around Titanium melted away as she pulled herself closer to his solid form, throwing herself into the kiss completely. As it reached a climax, the memory of her graduation night with Blackheart assaulted her senses. One memory after the other, Titanium started to remember everything; who he was, who she had been and what she had done on earth. Though she did not want to, she broke the kiss off and tried to pull away but her legs refused to hold her and instead she was forced to cling to Blackheart for support. For a moment, all that could be heard in the room was the sound of their panting, both acutely aware of how close the other was. As the sparks started to fade and Titanium gained control of her body she wormed her way out of his arms which were wrapped protectively around her waist.

"You need to leave," she murmured trying her best to sound emotionless. Blackheart noticed that, though she did not seem any different, her aura had definitely returned to normal. He could do nothing more. Secretly, Blackheart had hoped that once Titanium had remembered she would have decided to come back with him but it was not to be so, he would have to return to earth alone. He watched her move toward the window and close it, never turning back to look at him, before he made his way toward the door. Sighing, he exited and closed the door behind him not knowing that, at that moment, Titanium had looked back at him longingly, wishing for him to stop.

"It's officially over," the words stung Blackheart as he said them.

"Too true," the presence suddenly became known to him but already it was too late as darkness engulfed him.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chrysos' POV

Chrysos stormed down the passage, completely enraged by Titanium's audacity to simply leave the masquerade without informing him. He had made a complete idiot of himself when he had called out for her only to find she was absent along with the mysterious male he had witnessed her dancing with earlier. A completely sickening experience; the chemistry between them had been like none he had ever seen before.

"I shall teach her for the embarrassment she caused me!" Chrysos shouted into the empty passage as he turned another corner. All the games and facades were over with, Titanium had shattered her own happiness by becoming involved with someone other than himself. He approached her bedroom with determination but paused; perhaps a more silent entrance would be to his benefit, especially if the two were up to something. Somewhere before Chrysos had seen the man but the memory alluded him and he could not actually have cared any less; all that mattered was securing Titanium. Quietly he opened the door and peered into the room; Titanium was perched on her bed cuddling her knees as she stared out the window.

"Why'd you leave so soon, princess?" Chrysos did not bother to hide the anger burning in his chest. Titanium's head snapped toward him and her eyes stretched. He locked the door behind him and shoved the key into his pocket; he would not allow her to come close enough to snatch it.

"Chrysos," he sensed something different about her, "I wasn't feeling well. I'm sorry I didn't inform you."

"It was the least you could have done, princess," Chrysos spat as he took a step closer to her, watching as she slipped off the bed. Her posture seemed steady and her stride strong and determined, something that he'd made sure he had ripped from her. In reality, Titanium was too strong willed for him to manipulate into his plans and therefore he'd had her memory stripped from her, replaced with a softer, more gullible personality.

"I've already said I'm sorry," Titanium narrowed her eyes as they hardened over.

'I might as well let the cat out of the bag,' Chrysos thought with a smirk as he yanked the key from his pocket. Her sharp eyes caught the sudden movement and she started to watch him carefully, suspicion now evident on her face.

"Well, well," Chrysos laughed as he swung the door open, "it seems the first bit of my plan went horribly wrong."

"What do you mean?" her eyes found their way back to his and Chrysos cursed the fact that his charm no longer seemed to affect her; it would have been an effective way to disarm her long enough for him to reach safety, to draw his trump card.

"It will do no harm revealing my plan to you. You can't do much to stop it anyway!" he snickered at her confusion, "That crown I gave you on earth was a carbon copy I had made but this one had a single difference; the person who first wore it would have their memory and personality ripped from their mind and replaced with a sugary sweet one. That, along with the powerfully painful emotions you were feeling, convinced you to say yes to the most appealing alternative; returning with me. All the jewellery and clothing in this room was made with the same technique so you would stay blissfully oblivious to the harsh reality you were actually caught in." Titanium's face went blank for a moment as she absorbed the information he had just bestowed upon her.

"None of this is real? I am no princess?" her voice was a weak whisper proving that remnants of the memory alteration were still intact, probably powered by the jewellery and gown she had on.

"Oh, you are the princess of Ischyros, there's no doubt about that but the rest of the perfect world you live in here is a lie! What Exousia told you was the truth! I care nothing for you! I care only for your kingdom and once I control it then you will be of no use to me," Chrysos felt his excitement building as he came to the climax of his plan. After she seemed to have processed this new information, he added darkly, "just like all my other wives, the princesses of every other kingdom on this planet."

"You low, conniving asshole!" Titanium roared out as she launched herself at him. Chrysos shut the door in her face and locked it from the outside, activating the industrial magnets he'd had installed when the room had been redone. He heard a sharp outcry from the other side as Titanium shot away from the door, obviously injured.

"I had some magnets installed by the door and windows just so I can keep you immobile until the wedding is over. Only your lifeless corpse will leave this room," Chrysos cackled as he taunted her through the door. She was completely powerless.

"None of this would have happened if you had just played along," he suddenly became serious again as anger enveloped him and he growled, "but no, somehow you broke away and now it's far too late for everything to return to what it was. I never thought I would need to keep you locked in, in fact; I'd hoped to maybe keep you as my final bride but you had to destroy it and this is your punishment! Enjoy it!" Chrysos screamed before turning and storming off, heading directly for his secret room.

Titanium's POV

Titanium lay motionless on the floor and allowed the breath to slowly return to her shocked, burnt body. Already pus-filled boils were starting to form on her skin and she let out a short gasp of pain as she attempted to hoist herself up. Titanium cursed her foolishness; Blackheart had always told her to trust in what she knew she could believe but she had been naive enough to trust Chrysos.

'Blackheart,' she thought sadly, looking at her gloved hands, 'why did I let you leave?' he would have been able to rescue her from her dilemma but he was probably already back on earth; ready to forget about her. How could Titanium stop Chrysos if she was locked in a room with magnetism preventing her escape? She couldn't-

"Oh what a poor sop-story," Exousia materialised from the shadows, her cold eyes revealing her sympathy to be fake.

"What do you want?" Titanium murmured, she had no strength to argue with the red-head, "Go ahead, say 'I told you so.'."

"Oh, I did tell you so, didn't I?" she laughed shortly, "But that's not the reason I'm here." This caught Titanium's attention and she quickly looked up; this woman would not set her free so what else could she possible want?

"I have a little deal for you," Exousia continued as she circled Titanium like prey.

"I want to make no deals with you," Titanium spat in reply as she quickly forced herself to get up, ignoring the shooting pain which was ricocheting through her body.

"Oh, you'll definitely be interested in this one," a smirk played on her lips and a wave of suspicion flew through Titanium. As she remained quiet, Exousia took it as her cue to continue explaining, "I want you to break out of this forsaken room and head toward the residence block deeper within the palace. There you will find a large painting of an old man and next to it, an even older woman. Pull the painting of the older woman aside and you will find a secret passage which will lead you to Chrysos' hidden room. When you get there and you see I am also present in the room, I want you to assassinate him. You are only to do so in that room and if I am present so I may witness the murder myself; I wouldn't want you screwing me over." Titanium watched her for a moment, surprised by what she wanted done. Chrysos had a traitor amongst his highest rank and he did not even seem to suspect it. Obviously the red-head had him wrapped her little finger.

"Why do you want him dead?" Titanium murmured, using a similar question to the one Blackheart had asked her when she had attempted to assassinate Joanne.

"You'll agree with me when I say he's a bit of a jerk, right?" Exousia turned to face her properly, her eyes now laced with faded versions of deep pain and sorrow from long ago. Titanium merely nodded and she continued, "Well, a while ago we professed our undying love for the other, mine being utterly genuine. It looked to me as though he returned the feeling but when I saw how Chrysos eliminated the princesses who had been the only barriers between him and complete victory I began to doubt. He ensnared them all with the same tactics, courting them and loving them only to turn back to me and tell me it was all just part of the plan, that none of them meant anything to him. I began to believe Chrysos until he heard of you. He took extra steps to capture you, designing all sorts of fancy dresses and jewellery when he had never even given me a single flower. All Chrysos spoke about was going to earth to find you and once he did, I hoped it would be just like all the other princesses. Then he started to talk about keeping you around after the wedding and I finally lost my cool; he had hurt me more than enough and it was time I took control. I would be ruler of Metallo, all I needed was the right plan."

"And now you've found it," Titanium replied almost immediately, feeling the slightest bit of sympathy for Exousia. She, after all, knew the pain of seeing someone she cared deeply for involve himself with someone else. It was the one reason Titanium had decided to return to her supposed home planet.

"Yes," Exousia's eyes suddenly hardened once more, destroying all evidence of the emotional state she had been in mere seconds ago.

"What makes you think I'd help you out?" Titanium asked simply, "Why would I harm myself simply to gain revenge for you?" There had been only one person she would have been willing to do that for and it definitely was not the woman before her.

"I'm glad you asked such an important question," Exousia's grinned sadistically as evil danced in her eyes, making them sparkle, "I know you will because I have something important to you."

"I have nothing of importance here," Titanium snapped impatiently.

"Oh really? I believe his name is Blackheart," Exousia replied quickly, successfully catching Titanium's attention, "A few years back we discovered how to trap spirits and I must say it works fabulously; one of earth's most powerful is now my prisoner. If you ever want to see him alive again, you will do as I told you to. If not, well, then we'll see just how much damage I'm capable of doing with him at my absolute mercy." Exousia giggled hysterically as she disappeared into a bright light. Titanium stared at the spot she had been, the room around her feeling cold and unwelcoming. Blackheart had been kidnapped and unless she found a way out of her prison cell...she expected only the worst.

"There must be some way," Titanium quickly scanned the room. Besides the window and door, she could think of no other possible exit, her heart faltering at the idea of her failing to rescue him. All Titanium's hope fizzled into non-existence and she wondered how long Exousia would wait before she turned her wrath on Blackheart.

"I suspect not very long," a sinking feeling appeared in her gut and she put her head in her hands, frustration making hot tears burn her eyes. Why was she so weak? If she had only been a little stronger she would have easily been able to break free and carry out Exousia's ransom. Titanium cursed her fear as sob after sob burst from her lips unleashing a flood of tears in their wake. Devastated by the possibility of losing him, she found she needed a way to effectively vent off the excess emotion. Titanium launched her attack on the first hateful thing she could think of; the clothing which had made her forget until it was hopelessly too late. She tore through the racks, overturning them and hurling the abominable dresses in numerous directions before using the shoes to break holes in the wooden shelves. Everything in that closet was part of the conspiracy against her and Titanium would not rest until she had destroyed every little bit of it. Unfortunately, the displacement of the racks, dresses and shoes had physically drained her and with no strength left, her body aching all over from exhaustion and the blisters, Titanium collapsed to the floor in front of the only rack left standing. It seemed to mock her apparent weakness and she struck out at it with a final blow only to have her hand catch on to a familiar piece of fabric. Slowly raising her bloodshot and tearing eyes, she took in the black dress hanging before her, radiating danger and power into her.

"What is this display of weakness?" Titanium hissed at herself as she ripped the necklace and bracelet from her body. They were hindering her thoughts and she would need full control to find a solution to her current dilemma. She started to rise, never taking her eyes off the only source of strength she had left, the only reminder which portrayed the power and ability she had formerly possessed. Titanium started to peel the now dull and disgusting dress from her body, ripping the strappy heels from her feet and the gloves from her hands. She disposed of the items into a bundle along with other deserted clothing items, a symbol of the fake world she had been ensnared in. With her mind finally restored to what it once was, Titanium slipped into the black dress and pulled the boots onto her feet, ignoring the pain from her burnt skin. She had experienced far worse injuries.

"This is who I am," Titanium said firmly to herself as she took in her reflection in the full-length mirror, "not Princess Titanio; weak and gullible. I am Titanium; free-spirited, strong and determined!" she then summoned her trusty diamond sword, getting used to the feel and smashed the mirror with all her might, stepping over the pieces as she exited the walk-in cupboard. Titanium slammed the doors behind her as she assessed her situation; the only obstacle in her way was a possible exit. She set her eyes on the door as she considered it as a possible option. With the right amount of force she would be able to break it down, successfully obtaining her freedom but she did not know how much damage the magnets would inflict on her already weakened skin.

"What are you willing to sacrifice for him?" Titanium asked herself as her eyes took in the reddened skin of her arms. The answer was clear; she would give-up anything and everything to see him leave the planet alive. Titanium covered her hands and arms with a thick layer of diamond while stepping back toward the windows, her mind made up. She braced herself, taking only a moment to take deep breaths while she mentally prepared herself. With her heart pumping determination and strength powered by her total love for and devotion toward Blackheart, Titanium hurtled towards the doors, arms outstretched, with as much speed as she could muster awaiting impact and pain at any moment.

Blackheart's POV

Slowly Blackheart started to regain consciousness, immediately realizing that he was in an unfamiliar room. How had he gotten there? Something pricked at his memory, something that included Titanium in some abstract way.

"Titanium?" Blackheart asked in a hoarse voice, feeling confused.

"She's fine," a female voice replied snidely, "I think you should be more worried about yourself." The voice rang a bell in his head and suddenly the memories of the past day flooded back into his mind, overwhelming him. The masquerade, dancing with Titanium, the conversation they'd had and the kiss...it had been directly afterward that this female had somehow managed to take Blackheart by surprise and kidnap him.

"Who are you? And what do you want with me?" Blackheart replied, slipping back into devil's son mode; he would not have anyone walk over him. The female exposed herself, her eyes shining maliciously as she walked around him.

"You are my ransom," she purred in reply.

"Ransom? For what?" Blackheart could not wrap his head around the fact that she had actually been able to capture him. What other kind of technology did this planet possess? It suddenly occurred to him that it could possibly have been Titanium's 'rescuer' that had ordered his kidnapping. Had he witnessed any of the moments they had shared?

"I want Titanium to do something for me," the woman came to a stop in front of Blackheart, a cat-like smile on her face, "and the only way she'll do it is if I have something special of hers."

"What makes you think I'm special to her?" Blackheart snapped in return, disliking the idea of Titanium being manipulated.

"Oh, don't even try to deny it," the woman laughed shortly, "I saw those tender moments you shared. I must say, you did come at the right time. My plan will now pan out perfectly if she plays along. If not, well, I feel sorry for you."

"Do what you will to me," Blackheart said in a low, dangerous voice, "you leave her out of any of this."

"It's too late for such negotiations," the woman crossed her arms, "you aren't in the position to be making demands anyway." He felt like throttling her but when he reached out the force field became visible as it flickered once before fading once more. She looked amused at his futile attempts and was about to mock him when they both heard someone else approaching. The woman immediately turned her attention to the unknown person, a frown prominent on her face. Blackheart too looked in the general direction, hoping that it was not Titanium coming to agree to whatever this woman was planning.

"Ah," she spoke even before the person appeared, "Chrysos, you're just in time." she had just finished speaking when Titanium's 'rescuer' stepped from the shadows into the light. He took barely a moment as his eyes flew from Blackheart to his kidnapper, a look of suspicion crossing his face.

"What's going on, Exousia?" Chrysos questioned sharply.

"I decided to kidnap the mysterious masked individual that had such an effect on your fiancé," Exousia blatantly lied to his face, Blackheart frowning. Whatever she was planning, she did not want Chrysos to know anything about it.

"You," his attention turned to Blackheart, "you were the person she said goodbye to on earth. What are you doing on my planet?" he remained silent, keeping an impassive look on his face; he was not obliged to answer to any of these people.

"How did you capture him? He's merely a spirit!" Chrysos spat at Exousia, a look of rage now clouding his eyes, "And why was I not informed or included in this plan of yours?"

"It was quite spontaneous," Exousia replied silkily as she approached him with caution, "I followed them from the masquerade and decided to apprehend him. It was only in your interest that I did this."

"How?" Chrysos seemed unaffected by her answer remaining stiff and icy toward her.

"Remember that technology the labs were busy with? The one that kept failing? Well they were able to create a prototype that appeared to work. I decided to try it out and look, it functions perfectly," now she was merely trying to impress him, probably hoping to distract him long enough until his anger cooled down. Chrysos turned his attention to the platform on which Blackheart was standing only showing a mild interest; apparently he was not as easy to distract as Exousia hoped.

"You had no right to do this without my permission, Exousia!" he struck out at her but she expertly sprung out the way, landing a few metres away. Exousia's body stiffened as she paused for barely a moment before she sprung back into action, a seductive smile plastered on her lips. Blackheart watched her carefully, suspecting already what her possible plan could be.

"Soon I won't need your permission," Exousia grinned, circling him slowly with hungry eyes.

"What?" Chrysos demanded in return, suspicion clouding his eyes. She shifted her gaze just passed his right shoulder and smirked.

"Your reign has come to an end, Chrysos. It's time to let a younger generation rule," Exousia nodded her head once she had finished speaking as she started to move toward Blackheart, confusion clouding Chrysos' face. He had no time to further question her as Titanium suddenly sprung from the shadows, diamond swords clutched tightly in her fists. He was barely able to jerk out of the way of the two sharpened blades, eyes stretched in utter shock as she immediately swung around and struck again. She carried the same fluidity, speed and accuracy as she had on earth making Blackheart smirk in triumph; he had managed to successfully free her.

"Princess! You are skating on thin ice!" Chrysos hissed as he reached out for her, using his hands to block her attack. Titanium sliced the blade of one sword across his palm, blood gushing from the deep wound and Chrysos was forced to jerk away from her. As he cradled his hand to his chest he glared at her with dangerous eyes.

"You disgusting, worthless being," Chrysos spat venomously, " you do not deserve your title, Princess Titanio. Stop this now!" Titanium's entire body seemed to stiffen as he used the name she deemed fake; it was a poisonous reminder of the fool she had been played for.

"My name is Titanium," she snapped in return, "and I am not an inferior being for you to command."Chrysos' lip curled up in absolute contempt as he dropped both his arms to his side. Blackheart wondered what he planned to do next and could not help but worry about Titanium; this man definitely seemed dangerous. It was as she went in for another attack that Chrysos swung around and kicked her, connecting with her upper abdomen. Titanium collided harshly with the table but sprung up immediately, apparently unaffected by his comeback.

"Come on!" Exousia yelled from beside Blackheart, "You know what's at stake here!"

"You had this ordered?" Chrysos' head snapped in her direction, fury burning in his eyes.

"Of course I did," she replied silkily, "who better to take you down than the enraged fiancé who you brainwashed and kidnapped!" Exousia giggled deviously as her plan finally became evident to him.

"When I've taken her down, you are next, Exousia," he snarled, "and you can expect the worst punishment imaginable!"

"Oh please!" Exousia snickered at his pathetic attempt to scare her, "I doubt you could take someone who has almost the same amount of skill as me down. Now destroy him, Titanium!" Blackheart kept his eyes firmly trained on Titanium, hoping that she would remember all her former strategies and fighting skills. She would probably need everything he had ever taught her and maybe even the abilities she had taught herself.

"How can you fight for the traitor?" Chrysos demanded of Titanium who was merely watching him with calculating eyes.

"I'm not fighting for her," she cocked her head in Exousia's direction, "I'm fighting for someone else."

"Him?" Chrysos looked directly at Blackheart as amusement twinkled in his eyes, "the man you said goodbye to on earth? Don't be such a hypocrite!"

"I did not leave on my own free will," Titanium replied icily, her voice dropping in volume. She was starting to lose her temper, something that would be dangerous for both her and Chrysos', depending on how everything played out. Without leaving him any time to get another snide comment in, Titanium summoned six diamond daggers which she speedily slipped into the spaces between each finger. Contracting her arms and tensing all her muscles, she hurled the daggers at him with as much ferocity as she could muster. Chrysos dropped to the floor as the lethal missiles impaled themselves into various books, sometimes going right through, and charts which surrounded the room. Titanium was quickly in front of him and with both hands stabbed the sword right at him. Chrysos was quick enough, though, to grab onto her legs and pull them out from under her sending the sword flying as she collapsed to the floor. With lightning speed, he straddled her waist and began throttling her, effectively pinning her down.

"Perhaps you need some motivation!" Exousia hissed at Titanium as she sheathed her own weapon and faced Blackheart, "goodbye, spirit." She then lunged the blade through his chest.

Titanium's POV

Titanium could feel her body become icy cold as she heard the sword pierce flesh, her mind screaming out for it to be something else. Anything but what she knew it was... With difficulty she was able to crane her neck to the side but she refused to believe what her eyes were seeing. Exousia slowly slid the clean blade from Blackheart's chest as his body fell unmoving to the floor. With newfound determination and strength, Titanium bucked Chrysos off and jumped to her feet as anger made complete madness consume her body. Both of them would go down for what they did, she would make sure of that even if she had to die trying.

"Yes, that's more like it!" Exousia called from the side, completely delighted. Titanium could not decide which she hated more; the sound of her voice or the sound of the sword piercing Blackheart's chest. Both were equally hateful. A deep growl erupted from her chest as Titanium attacked Chrysos with even more speed and ferocity than she had showed before, making it nearly impossible for him to dodge. He showed no signs of weakness as he continued to fight, barely blocking and dodging each slash of the sword. Frustration and impatience started to build up in Titanium as more time passed without her getting a single hit in.

'What is wrong with me?' she thought as yet another of her attacks missed.

"_You need to concentrate if you want to get a hit in. I'm stronger and faster than you but you have strategy and that makes you dangerous to any type of opponent,"_ Blackheart's words rang in her mind; it had been the one time he had given her advice and treated her like an equal at school. She took a moment to breathe in once and collect herself; she need to ignore all distractions and calm down. Only then would Titanium get anywhere in her battle.

"Are you giving up?" Exousia's words broke into her state of calmness but she refused to let them enrage her. Titanium knew she needed peace of mind and as soon as she had it she slowly opened her eyes, seeing a new scene before her. She had one goal: to get to Blackheart. She had two obstructions blocking her path.

"This is far from over," Titanium's voice was calm and deadly. Already she had a strategy worked out in her mind and she was shocked by how blind she'd had to be not to have considered it before. Titanium launched another attack and predictably Chrysos jumped out of the way. After a few more test attacks, she had gathered enough information to put her plan into action. Relying on speed and accuracy; she pretended to lunge herself at him, purposefully missing by a few inches as she quickly spun around and shoved a diamond sword into his back. Chrysos, thinking he had successfully sprung out the way, gasped in shock as he sunk to the floor. Her calculations had been correct to the finest detail; by barely missing him, he sprung out the way a shorter distance than usual allowing her to use a surprise attack from behind.

"Now it's your turn, Exousia," Titanium swung to face the red head but found that she was absent from the room. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned her surroundings but she could not even pick up her aura. Exousia had escaped. That fact barely registered in her mind as her eyes came to Blackheart's motionless body, panic engulfing her chest. Titanium dropped her swords and sprinted toward him, falling to her knees and coming to a skidding stop next to him.

"Blackheart?" her voice was surprisingly tender as she reached out a single shaking hand to cup his face, "Please, say something." Titanium's heart fluttered as her pleading fell on deaf ears, his eyes remaining lifeless.

"No-," Titanium's voice broke as the truth finally began to sink in; she had failed and now there was nothing more she could do. Hot tears fell from her eyes and wet his trench coat while she was left to wonder how one person could make her cry so much in such a short period of time?

"How could I have let you down? You paid for my silliness," she spoke in a mere whisper not trusting herself to speak any louder. Sobs erupted from her chest as Titanium buried her face in Blackheart's unmoving torso, hoping against hope to feel some sort of breathing or hear a heartbeat. Only her own heartbeat echoed in her ears and she wished she could give it to him; the sound was abominable to her, teasing her.

"Dammit, Blackheart! You can't die! YOU CAN'T!" Titanium shrieked as she began to shake him, feeling hurt and delirious. When nothing happened, she sat down next to him and pulled her hair while rocking back and forth, crying until she had no tears left and her throat, eyes and head throbbed. Still, she could not feel comforted or the littlest bit satisfied. Nothing would ever be able to fill the gap in her heart and soul which Blackheart had left behind. Titanium felt hot and cold at the same time as she forced her bloodshot eyes to look at him again, fatigue setting in.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured as she lay next to him and placed her head on his chest for the last time. A feeling of temporary peace and melancholy enveloped Titanium and she closed her eyes, her mind creating the illusion that he was not a lifeless corpse and they were really sharing a tender moment.

"I love you so much, always have and always will. Nothing can change that fact. I know I should probably have told you earlier but I was so afraid of how you'd react but you came after me," she spoke into his chest as she sighed in contentment, "In a world filled with only deception and pain you were the truth that set me free. I don't know how to thank you enough, Blackheart." Titanium shortly fell asleep afterwards, peace and heartache living in odd harmony within her wounded heart. After only a short period of time passed, Blackheart's body evaporated into a cloud of black smoke and disappeared, leaving her sprawled on the cold concrete floor as guards poured into the room to investigate.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Exousia's POV

Exousia took in the vegetation of her surrounding area and frowned; earth definitely was a strange place to be. The atmosphere reeked of pollution and she snorted in disgust knowing that the careless inhabitants of the planet would bring about their own end.

"Good riddance," Exousia muttered as she stepped onto a deserted road, "this planet is disgusting anyway."

"That's not nice," the male voice immediately made her swing around in shock. How had he snuck up on her? The aging old man reeked of evil which made her scrunch her face up in contempt.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded of him.

"Mephistopheles," he replied smoothly and she felt gooseflesh cover her body; Exousia had definitely not expected to run into him. She was powerless against him on this planet, she had none of the technology Metallo possessed and could not dare to go back.

"You're not from around here," Mephistopheles started to circle her, "what are you doing on earth?"

"Hiding from someone," Exousia replied truthfully, wondering why she was revealing any information to the man. Did she honestly think that he would perhaps help her? She knew it was a possibility, especially if she told him of her defeat over his pestering son. Would he be glad or angered?

"Who?" Mephistopheles broke into her train of thought as his beady eyes roamed over her, his cane tapping lightly on the tar as he walked.

"None of your business," Exousia snapped in return.

"Perhaps this has something to do with my son?" he answered casually, ignoring her reply completely. Exousia could feel her blood turn to ice as she watched him carefully for some sort of negative reaction.

"What if it does?" she finally spoke after a moment of silence, considering whether it was safe or not to confess.

"If you're hiding from Titanium on earth it's pointless," Mephistopheles once more ignored her as he continued to speak; apparently he already knew everything, "she knows this place better than even I do and that's saying something."

"She won't think of looking for me on earth," Exousia said matter-of-factly, disliking his know-it-all attitude; how could he possibly know the extent of what had happened?

"I wouldn't underestimate her," Mephistopheles tutted before a sly grin slipped onto his face as he came to a standstill before her once more, "especially if she wants revenge and she definitely will. You see, Titanium doesn't take lightly to people harming Blackheart. Ask my Rider, he understands the full extent she would go to." Exousia could not help but gulp uncertainly; perhaps she had not thought her plan through. Of course, attacking Blackheart had been completely spontaneous and apparently it would cost her dearly if she let Titanium find her.

"How do you know this has anything to do with Titanium?" Exousia spat at him as she slipped out of her temporary panic.

"When Blackheart's body turned up in hell I could smell something foreign yet familiar on him; it smelt like Titanium, something extraterrestrial. Then I felt your aura on earth and you had the same alien smell to you so I assumed it was all connected. I mean, why would you turn up just after he appeared in hell?" Mephistopheles chuckled lightly as he looked up at the sky, "Obviously you had attacked him for whatever reason and now she is after you. Especially since she thinks you committed murder. "

"She won't find me," Exousia insisted, still surprised by his level of intelligence even though most of his theory had been assumptions.

"Don't say I didn't warn you, alien," Mephistopheles grinned before disappearing into a cloud of black smoke. She could not help but feel slightly intimidated; from what she had seen and now what he had told her, it seemed that Titanium was definitely more skilled and determined than she had first thought. Of course, they had experience with her whereas Exousia had none at all, they knew fully what she was capable of when she had only seen a bit. This meant that she was in a disadvantaged position and she needed to remove herself from it as quickly as possible before it was too late. It was as she thought that, that the bright light suddenly collided with the earth in the distance sending minor tremors through the surrounding forest. Exousia did not stay long enough to find out what it was, instead she started to hurtle into the distance hoping she could find the perfect place to hide. Her disadvantage position seemed only to grow more with each second that passed as she realized that she had no understanding to how anything worked on earth. What was their level of technology? How dangerous was their nature?

'Not dangerous enough to protect me from her,' Exousia thought despairingly knowing that both of them had a high enough skill to fend off any ferocious creature which came their way. Who between them was more skilled though? Whose desire was stronger? Titanium's desire for revenge or Exousia's desire to live?

"Stop thinking about her!" Exousia hissed at her worried mind. Instead she continued to run and eventually her endless searching bore fruits as she came across a rundown wooden structure that she guessed had to have been someone's home at some stage. The mere thought of having to live in such a derogatory state disgusted her immensely but she knew that her need to stay hidden and alive was stronger than that of her distaste. The door creaked on its hinges and carefully Exousia stepped into the dark enclosure which reeked of dampness and disuse; a good sign that no one had inhabited the shack for quite a while. Still she took her time to investigate every little thing until she was absolutely sure that it was completely unused. Exousia definitely did not want an occurrence where she was, unsuspecting, jumped by some of the unknown yet disgusting human inhabitants of the planet.

"I will have to remain here for a while until such a time I think it is safe," Exousia murmured as she made herself as comfortable as possible. A long wait stretched out before her; hours turning into days and days turning into dreary, monotonous weeks. With each passing second, Exousia became more and more impatient until after only a month and two days had passed she decided it was safe enough for her to return home. She was sick of the pathetic existence she was currently being forced to live and all out of fear of some silly enraged princess; what had she been thinking? There was nothing about Titanium to fear, she was probably as scary and ferocious as a cream puff.

"Pathetic," Exousia spat in contempt as she exited the wooden shack she had called home and set off into the disgusting vegetation that the humans called a forest. They had much to learn from Metallo about what a true forest was. She was in the middle of her ranting when the diamond dagger catapulted passed her and impaled itself into a thin tree trunk, splitting it in two. Exousia's blood ran cold as she expertly swung around in time to barely miss yet another missile, this one actually slicing the tips of hair.

"Finally the scaredy-cat came out to play," Titanium was approaching her with deadly intent, determination laced in her steady stride.

"I'm not afraid of you, princess," Exousia barked in reply as she sheathed her own weapons. It was time to end this ridiculous game of cat and mouse.

"I am not a princess," was the sharp reply that shot from Titanium's pursed crimson lips. Shortly following her words were two more diamond daggers which forced Exousia to fall to the floor as a manner of ducking. Titanium immediately pounced and pinned her to the dirt using all her strength to keep the wriggling woman still while she summoned her trusty diamond sword.

"I've always disliked you, you ungrateful bitch," Exousia murmured in disgust, "you take your gifts for granted when other, more worthy people have no abilities at all!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Titanium hissed impatiently, "Or is this the fear consuming your mind?" her smirk was temporary as Exousia bucked her off, using all the strength she had been storing since the first day of her escape. She slammed Titanium into the rough bark of an oak tree, tightening her slim fingers around her neck.

"You have two abilities; the control over both titanium and diamond," she seemed to be stating an obvious fact but continued to say, "I, on the other hand, have no such abilities. All my forsaken life I've been the outcast, the useless one so I decided to hone my fighting skills, my hand-to-hand combat abilities and make my way to a recognisable position. That way I would prove to all my haters just what I can do with the right determination and I got it right until you came along. You having the gift of two abilities and the title of princess, not needing to even lift a finger for intense strength to be handed to you. You had to do no work!" Exousia's past anger at all the people who had cast her out mixed with the intense hatred she felt for Titanium and she tightened her fingers even more. The princess was becoming dangerously pale as her crystal eyes rolled back into her head and she gagged desperately for air. Just as Exousia became overconfident, Titanium struck back with a surprisingly strong kick to the lower abdomen sending her catapulting into a moss covered boulder. Titanium was on her knees, heaving heavily as she looked up with icy eyes filled with passion.

"You're wrong," she whispered hoarsely, "power was not handed to me. I did work for it, I also spent countless long hours trying to perfect my skills. I have not had a pampered life, anything but and I prefer it that way. You, however, stole the most important part of that life from me and now I will make you pay. Enough chit chat. Fight, Exousia, to the death." Titanium rose slowly from the ground with her swords clenched in both fists. Exousia mimicked her as she too grabbed for her most trusted weapons, both narrowing their eyes at the enemy.

'This is it,' Exousia thought before launching herself at Titanium with both her swords poised behind her. Expertly she lashed out but Titanium had a counter attack for every blow she attempted, never getting a single hit in. The two struggled endlessly as they stumbled over rocks and roots and other undergrowth which littered the forest floor, never once losing their concentration or balance. Eventually Titanium became bored with only countering Exousia's attacks and went from defensive to offensive, spinning around and attempting a backhand slash at her abdomen. Exousia barely managed to block as she countered with a direct stab at Titanium's leg who used the opposite side to block the attack, swinging both swords up and trying the same attack with her other hand. Exousia did a quick back flip out of the way hoping to maybe land a kick at Titanium's face but she instead grabbed her enemy's leg and hurled her to the side.

'This is going nowhere and she isn't even exhausted yet,' Exousia thought as she quickly sprung up and got into a defensive position. Slacking would cost her dearly. Making a quick calculation in her mind, Exousia hurtled directly at Titanium who predictably sprung out the way allowing her to get her footing on a tree which she then used to propel herself into the air. Titanium was definitely shocked as she watched Exousia descend in slow motion, one sword held in front of her while the other was poised behind her. Titanium reacted quickly, swinging the sword in her left hand at Exousia's outstretched arm while her right hand countered other sword which she had propelled forward. Exousia landed with a thump before her and once more the two women launched numerous attacks at the other, hoping desperately that enemy would slip up. After countless fruitless attempts they stopped briefly, breathing heavily as they took each other in for the moment. What was the other planning?

"Don't bother fleeing," Titanium spoke up as Exousia considered making a run for it, shocking her to her core, "I will find you." She allowed her eyes to harden over, eliminating any previous signs of weakness. Escape was not the answer.

"I'm not going anywhere," Exousia spat, "I won't make it that easy for you to sneak up on me." She watched a smirk play on Titanium's lips and could not help but feel ever so slightly intimidated by the possibilities she was considering. Mephistopheles' words echoed in her head and Exousia could feel her body stiffen slightly; to what extent was Titanium willing to go for revenge?

"I already have," Titanium broke into her train of thought and Exousia immediately became aware of the trap she had fallen in. All the previous fighting had only been to tire her out, to exhaust her physical abilities whilst Titanium still had a full range of attacks to choose from fuelled on by her gifts. As quickly as she had spoken, the metal chain suddenly formed around Exousia and pinned her arms to her side, forcing her to drop both her swords to the floor. The two ends of the chain wrapped tightly around the trees situated before her and behind her, limiting her movement completely.

"Normally an attack like this would never have worked when you were so alert," Titanium moved toward her, "but once you're tired you become vulnerable. Blackheart always told me that and I find it ironic that his words of advice are to be your downfall." Without any further delay she plunged her diamond sword deep into Exousia's chest, darkness and peace slowly setting in on her trapped mind.

Titanium's POV

Titanium stood on the edge of a cliff and stared out at the beauty of the sunset which surrounded her and welcomed her home. Although earth was not where she was born, it would always be the place most familiar, welcoming and comfortable to her. Unfortunately the atmosphere was not the same without Blackheart's presence.

"Something you will get used to," Titanium whispered into the wind as a cool breeze swirled around her and caressed her skin. No matter how peaceful the moment was it would never be perfect, not without him by her side. Titanium clung to the memory of the little time they had spent together at and after the masquerade...she regretted sending him away and not confessing to him. She had been so confused at the time that she had only wanted time to clear her thoughts and now she would have to forever live with estranged and sometimes tortured memories.

"Will I ever truly be free?" Titanium asked the sky as she set her eyes on the first star evident in the inky blackness which was enveloping the atmosphere. The answer, obvious and daunting, made tears prickle in her eyes which she desperately fought to contain. She highly doubted that she would ever find any sort of comfort, perhaps one day she would move on because she was forced to but she definitely would never forget. A long ago, childhood rhyme popped into her head and Titanium found herself smiling sadly; what was one try?

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might have the wish I wish tonight," Titanium kept her eyes fixed on the evening star as she sent her silent wish to the sky, knowing already that it was impossible. She had failed and now, not even the evening star would be able to right her wrong. It was a silly, childish thing to hope that wishes still came true.

"What did you wish for?" the all too familiar voice sent shivers up Titanium's spine as her entire body stiffened. Slowly she turned and there he stood showing no evidence that he had been murdered or even injured. Her eyes stretched in surprise as her overwhelmed mind attempted to comprehend what it was being told.

"You seem shocked to see me," Blackheart continued after a moment of silence.

"I saw you die," Titanium whispered hoarsely.

"A small wound inflicted by an earthly weapon cannot kill me," Blackheart's eyes twinkled with amusement, "you of all people should know that. How many times have you stabbed me with no success?" Titanium still could not believe what she was seeing or hearing. If the wound had not killed him then why had he fallen? Why had he been motionless when she had approached? She attempted to ask him all these questions but all she managed was a pitiful squeak before she shut her mouth.

"Titanium, I'm not that easy to get rid of," Blackheart placed his hands on her shoulders as he stared into her confused eyes, "yes, I might be wounded but I heal if I return to hell."

"I saw you die," Titanium repeated stupidly before quickly adding, "you were motionless and not breathing."

"And then I returned to hell to heal," Blackheart concluded with a small smile.

"For a month and two days?" she asked, still feeling unconvinced.

"Depending on the severity of the wound, yes, it could take that long to come to a full recovery," he shrugged and let go of her, turning his attention to the horizon where only a quarter of the sun was still visible. Titanium slowly began to realize that she was not dreaming and that Blackheart really was standing before her, alive and well. Tears of joy streamed down her face and she prayed that he would not turn and see them. How she longed to embrace him and weep on his shoulder, to allow all the sorrow and heartache she had felt to flow from her soul only to be replaced by the endless joy she felt at the mere thought that he was alive.

"Why did you never mention anything, Titanium?" Blackheart suddenly asked, still not making eye-contact with her.

"About what?" she hoped the tears would not be evident in her voice.

"I heard every word you said to me on Metallo when you thought I was dead," Blackheart replied emotionlessly, keeping a perfect poker face as he watched the sunset blink for the last time bathing the earth in darkness. Titanium felt her eyes stretch once more as the reality of his words sunk in; she had confessed her heart and soul to his supposed corpse and he had heard her every word.

"No matter how much I longed to tell you, I still remembered who you are and what you would do with such information. You would have tried to manipulate me if you knew I felt anything else but dislike for you," Titanium replied truthfully as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes.

"Originally your assumption would have been correct. It is the truth and I am not afraid to admit it," Blackheart turned to look at her, "but it isn't anymore because every word you spoke rang true on both sides."

"What?" Titanium asked as confusion clouded her expression.

"I love you," the words felt like a cool breeze which tickled her over-heated heart, the first sip of water after weeks of dehydration, "I always have but never noticed it until the day you left for Metallo. I had to come after you to see if you were OK."

"And I am glad you did," Titanium murmured as she reached out for him no longer caring if her saw her weeping, all she wanted to do was cry.

"You're crying," Blackheart was shocked for only a moment before sadness clouded his eyes, entwined with confusion.

"Tears of joy," she whispered as he attempted to wipe the endless streams away. Titanium placed her hand above his own and smiled reassuringly. Though both of them were completely new to romance, she knew that they would be able to explore it together and make it through anything. The moment was perfect.

"I never thought I'd ever see you-," he started but she cut him off.

"I didn't think so either but things have changed," she laughed lightly as she broke away from him, still struggling to comprehend that he too felt the same. It was an awkward thought and Titanium knew it would take a while to get used to the idea. Mephistopheles' definitely would not like it...

"Blackheart, what about your father?" already numerous problems were making themselves known to her; all the original reasons why she had kept her feelings secret returning with fresh waves of anxiety.

"I don't care what he thinks," Blackheart countered immediately as he wrapped his arms protectively around her waist.

"We'll always be fighting against him," Titanium muttered sadly. The idea of an eternity of fighting for power against him was definitely not appealing to her. She wanted to live in peace with Blackheart not surrounded by violence and murder.

"We always have," Blackheart did not seem to understand what she was trying to say, "it's enough for me to just be with you. I don't care about the rest."

"I do," Titanium wondered if she was perhaps being selfish. She was, after all, trying to persuade him to leave behind the only life he had ever known.

"What do you propose we do then?" he did not seem bothered at the moment by the idea, only overly curious.

"Go to Metallo. Then your father can rule and so can you," Titanium knew she was treading on dangerous grounds but she still waded in further, "they need a ruler and I am a princess. It's the perfect alternative." Blackheart considered the idea, his expression not revealing any of the possible emotions he could be feeling. She wrung her hands nervously as silence enveloped them and she was left to wonder if she had perhaps been foolish to propose what she had.

"Is such an option still available after your attempted murder against the king?" Blackheart enquired nonchalantly after a moment.

"The guards are under the impression someone else was behind the attack because they found me unconscious at the scene," Titanium replied quickly, "I played on that and made them think it was Exousia. I simply told them that she knocked me out and that I didn't know what happened after that."

"I see," was all he said as he slowly, almost reluctantly, pulled away from her, "if I agree to this, it's going to be a big change."

"I know," Titanium said softly as she dropped her eyes to the floor, "but I also know that we can do it. I've always believed that you were a far better ruler than your father."

"Will Metallo accept me?" Blackheart questioned as he attempted to consider all the factors involved in such a decision.

"My people seem to adore me," Titanium started, unsure of exactly how to reply. She had not been on the planet long enough to have such knowledge of the population, "and as long as you're a better king than Chrysos I'm sure they will."

"I don't know, Titanium," Blackheart ran his hand through his hair as he stared out at the darkness and peace of the night. It was definitely a difficult decision to make; was he willing to leave behind the evil and violent lifestyle he was used to for a more peaceful, honourable one?

"If you don't want to go, I understand," Titanium smiled as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Blackheart looked at her with indecisive eyes; he probably would be happy with any situation as long as he was with her. Would they continue with their little battles that he had come to look forward to though? The possibility was extremely slim. He frowned inwardly, the change was suddenly starting to look all the less appealing to him but who was he to judge the situation if he had not even tried it yet?

"We could give it a try, I suppose," Titanium must have sensed his hesitance because she openly frowned as she dropped her hand to her side.

"I don't want to do anything you're uncomfortable with," was her sharp reply, "don't feel as if you're obliged to do it." Blackheart wanted to flinch and hit himself for breaking the moment; how was it that he managed to mess up so easily around her?

"I'm just a little unsure," he tried to remedy the situation, "that's why I said we could give it a try and if I'm still unsure we can discuss what we plan to do from there on." Titanium was honestly surprised by the sudden equality and consideration he was showing her. It was as if they had already been together for ages, confiding in the other and making decisions together. The idea made her want to smile and she did, for a second believing that she had seen the sides of Blackheart's mouth twitching as well. Titanium would eventually get a proper smile out of him.

"Thank-you," she flung her arms around him and he automatically embraced her in a hug that warmed her from the inside out. Titanium absorbed all the warmth and strength she could from him, enjoying every second she spent in his arms, him enjoying the feel of holding her.

"When do you want to go?" Blackheart enquired after a moment, "And how will we get there?"

"Perhaps tomorrow morning, I want to spend some time alone with you on earth," Titanium replied softly, feeling completely relaxed, "and I have a ship somewhere in the forest."

"It's settled then," he pecked her on the lips, the kiss lingering for a moment. Titanium could feel the butterflies erupting in her stomach sending little waves of static through her body and making her fingertips tingle.

"I need to stop doing that," Blackheart commented hoarsely.

"Why?" Titanium whispered breathlessly, "I like it."

"So do I," he replied against her lips, "so much so that I actually think it's unhealthy."

"You're spouting nonsense," Titanium tried to snap but was too intoxicated to sound annoyed or dismissive at his words, "how can something so natural be unhealthy?"

"It disorientates me," Blackheart rested his forehead against hers, "you disorientate me."

"Is that a good thing?" Titanium could not help asking curiously as she peered up into his eyes.

"You tell me," was all he said before he kissed her again, this time properly. The butterflies in her stomach immediately turned to fireworks and she felt her legs turn to jelly, forcing her to lean completely on him. A thousand images erupted in her mind although it felt like she was thinking nothing at all. Magma coursed through her veins setting her skin alight and she knew that never in her life before had she felt as alive. All her senses were alert yet completely dulled, anything outside of their fairytale world was nonexistent to either of them. Kisses like this she could definitely get accustomed to.

"Good, definitely good," Titanium blurted when they broke apart for air, both completely overwhelmed by the sensations which were enveloping them.

"What?" Blackheart asked, completely dazed still. The world around them slowly started to form again, neither of them realizing how quickly it had disappeared in the first place.

"I dunno," Titanium slurred before giggling girlishly against his chest. She felt completely immature but could not have cared any less, she was happy and that was all that mattered. Blackheart was looking down at her with a cocked eyebrow and she recognized the familiar amusement twinkling in the blue depths.

"I don't think I should kiss you," Blackheart joked and immediately she stiffened, glaring up at him as all her seriousness returned in a single dose. The changing moods and personalities made her head swim dangerously.

"Why not?" she demanded hotly, disliking the prospect of him not kissing her on a frequent basis.

"Oh, feisty about that aren't we?" he teased, continuing his little game with her, "You become all girly and giggly when I do and I'm not sure if I like that you. I prefer this one." Titanium's eyebrows shot into her hairline as she studied his expression only realizing after a moment that he was merely joking with her. Her face reddened immensely as she playfully walloped him on the arm, trying desperately to send him as sharp a look as possible.

"I was only pulling your leg," Blackheart immediately pulled her back into a tight embrace, "do you really think I would be able to resist kissing you?"

"Probably not," Titanium grinned up at him and he cocked an eye brow at her.

"That was a rhetorical question," he stated stiffly and she smirked, she would even the scores with him eventually even if it was only with numerous small wins.

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock," Titanium replied sarcastically, "I'm sure even a toddler would know that."

"Oh really?" Blackheart could sense what she was doing, "Maybe I should just kiss you again, that'll get you to shut-up." His smirk grew wider as Titanium flailed aimlessly for the perfect reply. After a moment she accepted her inevitable defeat and instead just rested her head against his chest again.

"I'll get you back," she muttered eventually, trying desperately to redeem her pride and ego.

"We'll see," Blackheart spoke into her hair, the little verbal fight completely forgotten already as he inhaled her strange yet addictive scent.

"Die, whore," Exousia's weak, breathless voice shattered the perfection of the moment as a sword skewered Titanium from just above her right hip up to her ribs, "I'll drag you to oblivion with me." Suddenly Blackheart was supporting her full weight as her eyes rolled back into her head, blood trickling out the corner of her gasping mouth.

"Titanium? Titanium!" panic engulfed him as her stiff body became unnaturally limp and she became a dead weight, his sharp hearing barely picking up the faint and flailing heart beat. Blackheart worked as quickly as he possibly could in his shell-shocked state, removing the sword and attempting to heal the gushing wounds with shaking hands. Unfortunately, even after she was completely healed, he could hear no heartbeat and feel no life radiating from her. She was gone. This time for good. The truth slowly began to dawn on him and the panic he had previously felt was replaced by intense anger and sorrow, burning within an emptiness which was forming inside him. Blackheart rose slowly and stared into the horizon with clenched fists; it was his fate to forever be alone but he refused to be intimidated. Oh no, he would wreck havoc on all living things as revenge for the pain life had inflicted on him. Handing him something he could love and cherish only to mercilessly rip it from his fingers once more. Glancing once more at Titanium's corpse, Blackheart allowed the heartache to swallow him for only a moment before he disappeared with revenge deep set into his heart, once more pumping pure evil through his veins.


End file.
